


A Fresh Wave of Sorrow

by theladyscribe



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, outsider pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-21
Updated: 2014-01-21
Packaged: 2018-01-09 12:25:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1145961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theladyscribe/pseuds/theladyscribe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s Dr. Farag who suggests she watch the city-wide memorial service. “I’ll watch it with you,” he says calmly, sitting in his chair beside her. “We don’t have to watch all of it.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Fresh Wave of Sorrow

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aenaria](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aenaria/gifts).



> Inspired by [this post](http://aenariasbookshelf.tumblr.com/post/74002992657/you-can-see-the-people-in-the-back-watching-and-i) on tumblr. Sort-of related to [One Nation Indivisible](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1027275), but only if you squint.

It’s not until almost two months after the Battle of Manhattan that Elena can bring herself to watch any of the footage. She didn’t attend the city-wide memorial service, stood mutely at the services for her friends and coworkers caught in the crossfire, has resolutely not turned on the news for the past six weeks. She’s avoided it, has been working through her grief and fear with a therapist for an hour a day, five days a week, occasionally calling Dr. Farag when she wakes with nightmares on weekends.

It’s Dr. Farag who suggests she watch the city-wide memorial service. “I’ll watch it with you,” he says calmly, sitting in his chair beside her. “We don’t have to watch all of it.”

Elena takes a deep breath. “Okay.”

He hits play, and they listen to the _Banner_ , sit through the moment of silence, watch the mayor’s opening speech. When the mayor introduces Captain America, there’s applause and the introduction of “Star-Spangled Man,” which has always been a terrible earworm, and then the man steps up to the microphone.

Elena gasps, and Dr. Farag pauses the tape. “Is everything alright?” he asks in that steady, solid way of his.

"No. Yes. I mean—" Elena taps the arm of her chair. "I’ve seen him before," she says quietly.

"The captain?"

She nods. “I was in Times Square, maybe six months ago, maybe more, for a lunch meeting at the Marriott. He came running out of a building not a block away. I’ve never—he looked so bewildered, so alone.” She closes her eyes at the memory, feels a fresh wave of sorrow for the man who looked so lost that day.


End file.
